


Nowhere Else To Go

by thorhugs



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen, Season 3 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-30
Updated: 2013-07-30
Packaged: 2017-12-21 20:58:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/904859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thorhugs/pseuds/thorhugs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In light of recent events, Stiles seeks solace in an unlikely place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nowhere Else To Go

"I know I'm earlier than usual," Stiles said as he shoved his hands into his sweatshirt pockets. "But I didn't know where else to go." His throat flexed as he tried to swallow passed the lump that threatened to form. "After all that's happened, and this the only place I could think to go."

He shifted his weight, looking down at his shoes for a moment. "You remember how I told you about what happened to Scott last year? Yeah, of course you do. You were always good at that. It's gotten worse. There's these...alphas, now. And they're bad news. Like really bad. But not the worst. There's this thing, a Darach." He rubbed a hand through his hair, not so much nervous, but distraught. "A uh, a dark druid. Yeah, there's druids now, too. But this one's...by 'dark' I mean like 'evil.' Really evil. Like murdering people, sacrificing them. That sort of evil."

He turned his gaze skyward, trying to keep himself together. But his voice was starting to falter. Taking a slow breath, he continued. "We finally figured out who it was. But not before a lot of people died. And..." He swallowed again, tears starting to tumble onto his cheeks. "...it took dad. And I don't know what else to do, mom."

Falling silent, he looked down at the grave marker, not knowing what to do. He hadn't felt a despair like this since she'd died. But now, he'd nearly lost his best friend to this thing. And now it had his father. He'd barely survived losing his mother. And he felt that same feeling creeping up on him. That desperate panic.

When it happened, his dad didn't know what to do. Constantly yelling at Stiles to not touch things in the hospital room. Never leaving him alone with her. As if he were afraid his hyperactive son would do something to the machines keeping her alive. Day and night they were there, with his dad at her side every possible moment. Holding her hand. Talking to her.

But one evening, the doctor pulled his dad aside to talk to him. They left the room and went somewhere else in the ward. And for the first time since she'd been admitted, Stiles was alone with her. He stood at the far side of the room, hands in his pockets, watching her. Waiting for his dad to come back.

That's when it started. When it started to sink in that he might lose her. Watching her, laying there. Alone. He approached the side of the bed, glancing back toward the door. He couldn't even hear his dad anymore. He stood at the side of the bed, his hands resting on the rail.

"Mom?" he said, his voice cracking. Barely more than a whisper. "They...they say you can still hear me."

Carefully, he reached for her hand. His fingers unsteady. "Mom..." he said again. Slowly, his fingers curled around hers. He didn't know what to say. Could she really hear him? Somewhere in there, did she know he was there? "I'm here..." he said, just a little louder. "You gotta make it through this. I need you--" His voice cracked and he stopped. Squeezing her hand tighter.

With his free hand, he scrubbed at his wet cheeks, but the tears wouldn't stop. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't imagine a world without her. She understood him, when his dad merely tolerated him. She always knew just what he was trying to say, even when he didn't know the words. What would he do if she wasn't there?

He jumped as he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Twisting his head, he saw his dad there. Struggling to hold himself together. Not yelling. Not angry. It wasn't the same as before. Something in him had shifted, as if a light had gone out. He didn't need to say anything. Stiles already knew.

She wasn't going to make it.

Stiles knelt by the grave and adjusted the flowers he'd left. "I can't lose you both..." was all he could say.

**Author's Note:**

> A month ago, my mother was in the hospital. And for several days, the doctors refused to say whether or not she would pull through. I spent a very sleepless week at her bedside, and in the ICU waiting room. Beyond the immeasurable support of my girlfriend, Teen Wolf helped me cope. It gave me a distraction and let me hide behind something so I could deal with it all.
> 
> This was a fic I plotted on the second night, when I was trying to get at least a little sleep. And it was the only time I cried the entire time I was there. That night, I promised myself I would write it if she pulled through. I was afraid to write it then. She did make it, and was released home some time ago. And the events in the most recent episode (3x09) were a perfect point to write it from.


End file.
